Beinvenue a Bouake!

Beinvenue a Bouake! (Welcome to Bouake) 

I can't believe that I've been here in Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire for two weeks already. In some ways it feels like yesterday that I said farewell to you and in other ways it seems like months have passed since I arrived. 

For example, the initial departure and flight to Cote d'Ivoire was a month long saga packed into 2 days.  That tale is too long to share here, but if you want to read about it you can visit the Blog, CADVideo.blogspot.com and read the entire story there. 

In contrast to those first days, things are now moving along very smoothly. Language learning is coming along very well and I am even enjoying it. The sense of community here is very strong and continues to grow. Beside the team of 6 Americans and the 5 Germans who arrived just ahead of me, there are 6 Journey Corps team members from previous years.  They have been a huge aid in our transition, helping with translation, safety, transportation, and setting an example of what the next months and year will look like. They are just part of the community of people here in Bouake that have made us all feel welcomed. 

For now my days are overflowing with learning. Even as I sit in classes, I am aware of the work God is doing here. You can see it in the change of the other journeyers as they learn to relate to each other and build community, in the worship of the local churches, in the labor of a community to raise a roof, and in the personal stories you here when you visit people in their homes. It excites me to see all that God is doing and urges me on so that I might share those stories with you. 

Thank you for being part of this project so far. I am excited for the future and how we can partner together in telling these amazing stories of growth, of development, of change, of what God is doing. 

If you would like to know how you can be more involved send me an email, Docskribled@gmail.com . I would love to help you do that and find your place as part of the team.

Your Fellow Servant,

Drew Hayes